Walnut Creek BAIT Car Hooks Another Burglar
One thing seems abundantly clear, folks prone to car burglary apparently don’t read NEWS24/680. We’ve advised readers of the Walnut Creek Police Department’s use of a wired “BAIT Car” designed to record and track burglars intent on taking the vehicle – and of its apparent success in catching the unwary, albeit criminally minded. Police say…
Orinda Police Identify, Arrest Repeat Bank Robber Tuesday
The Orinda Police Department, assisted by the Oakland Police Department, arrested 49-year-old Duane Makela of Oakland this morning in connection with two bank robberies that occurred in the city of Orinda last year. During a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Makela was identified as the suspect. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for…
Man With Shoe Camera Arrested For Allegedly Trying To Film Juvenile Girl In Walnut Creek Apple Store
Walnut Creek police, alerted by an alarmed father who had spotted a man trying to film his daughter be sliding a camera on top of his shoe under her dress, arrested the 66-year-old suspect a short distance away. Officers say they found the offending camera and other recording equipment in Jacque Bloxham’s car – parked…
Fatal Head-On Crash Closes Alhambra Avenue In Both Directions Friday
We are saddened to have to report that Alhambra Avenue between John Muir Road and Alhambra Valley Road in Martinez is currently (4:10 p.m.) closed in both directions due to a fatal accident investigation. Police and fire personnel were called to the area shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday with readers writing of a grinding, head-on…
Sheriff’s Office Investigates Window Smash Burglary At Alamo Jewelry Store
On Monday, April 15, 2019, at about 1:38 AM, Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a report of an alarm at a jewelry store on the 3200 block of Danville Boulevard in Alamo. Deputy Sheriffs arrived minutes after being dispatched to find the store’s front window broken. The suspects entered the business stealing miscellaneous goods and items. The…
Shoplifting Flurry Gets Messy In San Ramon Wednesday – Dog Bite, Foot Races With Police At Target
In what has become an almost daily event in the 24/680 of late, a crew of suspected thieves targeting Apple Computer products at the Target Store in San Ramon were brought up short by a police K9 and gun-toting police. The incident was reported (as near as we can figure) at about 5:55 p.m. when…
Kitchen Fire Damages Lafayette’s Postino Restaurant; Closes Mt. Diablo Boulevard
A sizable fire response is on scene or on the way to Postino restaurant on Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette this evening after a kitchen fire grew beyond staff’s ability to handle it and crept into the restaurant’s ceiling. Mt. Diablo Boulevard has been closed in both directions outside the restaurant to facilitate the firefighting…
BAIT Car Burglary Arrest Breaks Up The Party In Walnut Creek
We’ve written about the variety of new gadgets local police departments are bringing to law enforcement in their respective jurisdictions and some of them appear to be working pretty well – including a tracker and camera-equipped bait car currently in use by Walnut Creek PD. You may have seen some of the videos generated in…
Highway Patrol Car Rammed By Suspected DUI Driver Sunday – Minor Injuries For Officers, Driver Arrested
The past few months have been marked by a series of tragic incidents resulting in the deaths of highway patrol officers around the state and an incident Sunday morning conjured up fears of yet another collision brought first responders on the run. Two officers were treated for minor injuries after their cruiser was rammed from…
Three Arrested In San Pablo Dam Road Incident; Pellet Gun Recovered
UPDATE: (3:15 p.m.) The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office reports that this situation has been resolved. Three people have been taken into custody and a pellet gun recovered. Incident remains under investigation. ORIGINAL POST: Several police jurisdictions responded to reports of an armed man or men at a home on San Pablo Dam Road Tuesday,…